It’s tax filing season. Remember the earlier you file your taxes the less likely you are to be a victim of IDENTITY FRAUD. Remember the IRS will never:
- Angrily demand immediate payment over the phone, nor will the agency call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill.
- Threaten to bring in local police or other law enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.
- Demand you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.
- Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card. (GREEN Card)
- Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
Here’s what you should do if you think you’re the target of an IRS impersonation scam:
- If you actually do owe taxes, call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040. IRS employees can help you with a payment issue.
- If you know you don’t owe taxes or do not immediately believe that you do, you can report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) at 1-800-366-4484.
- If you’ve been targeted by any scam, be sure to contact the Federal Trade Commission and use their FTC Complaint Assistant. Please add IRS Telephone Scam to the comments of your complaint.
